New Hope for Myanmar and Aung San Suu Kyi?

[Jamila]

According to news reports, the military government of Myanmar (Burma) is getting ready to release nearly 4,000 political prisoners from its jails:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041118/ap_on_re_as/myanmar_prisoner_release

There is no firm word on whether Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was legally elected by close to 90% of the Burmese people in 1990, will be one of those released by the military government which has prevented her from assuming her rightful position as head of state.

If you would like to know more about this MAGNIFICENT, COURAGEOUS and BEAUTIFUL woman - the woman to whom the U2 song "Walk On" was written for and dedicated to - then please visit these websites:

http://www.dassk.com

http://www.freeburmacoalition.org


And then, please RAISE YOUR VOICE FOR THEIR FREEDOM!


WHAT YOU GOT THEY CAN'T STEAL IT. NO, THEY CAN'T EVEN FEEL IT....

 

[A_Wanderer]

Burma.

 

[Jamila]

My sentiments exactly, A_Wanderer.

I just don't want their suffering and the military repression going on there to be forgotten by the world as we go on with our own individual lives.

I wouldn't be surprised if Bono reprises his appeal for Aung San Suu Kyi's and Burma's freedom in the upcoming tour.

I would hope that the world would put sufficient pressure on this illegal government BEFORE then so that the B-man does NOT have to reprise his appeal for Burma.

But IT'S UP TO US to do that....

 

[lady luck]

It's not the first time Burma sees the release of thousands of prisoners of conscience, held in prisons just for the pacific expression of their idea.
Unfortunately, no-one mentioned ASSK in the list of people that are to be set free.

 

[jinn77]

Do Western governments really care about the plight of the ordinary Burmese man woman and child. Call me a cynic but personally I don't. It's all about backing a more malleable governmental system to serve western interests, see Iraq.

 

[Jamila]

Western governments may not care what happens in Burma, but that shouldn't stop people in Western countries from caring.

Remember only the U.S. and Japan have any kind of sanctions in place against the Myanmar government.

That means concerned people in countries such as the U.K., France, Australia etc need to put more pressure on their governments to stand up against the repressive military dictatorship ruling Burma.

Thanks for the interest in this thread - we should never let the plight of the people of Burma be forgotten!

 

[blueyedpoet]

I've been avoiding this thread because i feel so guilty for my apathy lately about this situation...what can we do to help?

 

[Jamila]

blueeyedpoet, the first thing to do to get re-acquainted with the issue of freedom and democracy in Burma is probably to visit the websites that I posted in the beginning of this thread.

Once you have brought yourself up to date on what has been happening in Burma and with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, you might wamt to go to the Amnesty International website to see if there is an AI group near you where you can get involved in LETTER-WRITING campaigns to free prisoners of conscience in Burma. (especially Aung San Suu Kyi)

Or you can just begin writing letters for AI on your own. Whatever you do will be helpful to bring Freedom and Democracy to this embattled nation.

DO SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR BURMA - just don't turn away from the heroic struggle of the Burmese People to bring peace and democracy to their country.

Thank you for your interest, blueeyedpoet. You will be blessed for your sincere desire to help.

http://www.amnesty.org

 

[Jamila]

well, my worst fears were confirmed -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4051235.stm

No freedom for Aung San Suu Kyi in the foreseeable future.

The only question left to ask is: what are we going to do about it?

Hopefully more people will see this thread and will be willing to get involved in the struggle for Burma's democracy.